All For You
by SaberMay
Summary: Because all the times she wanted to touch him, she lied to herself and hesitated. The one time she didn't, he'd nearly break her heart. Eren x Mikasa
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The idea for this fic came out of nowhere when I was half asleep. I just had to write it down. I didn't care for these two as a pairing, but then I re-watched the series and I adore them now! Right now, it looks like it's going to be 3-5 chapters. As for when this takes place, I'll leave that up for you to decide.

The cover image for this story will be upgraded when I get the chance to draw something.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

Enjoy.

* * *

 **All For You**

 _Chapter 1_

…

It was rare for the Scout Regiment to have a break, especially these days. Between running recon missions outside Wall Rose, constantly changing headquarter locations, and so much more, it often felt like there was hardly time to breathe. Today was no exception.

From dawn till dusk, they spent the day packing, hauling, and unloading over and over and over again. Everyone, including higher command, had to assist in transporting the brand-new supplies to their temporary HQ. In just a few more days, they'd pack everything up again and go to their permanent location, or so everyone said.

Mikasa didn't pay much attention to that part.

Everyone grumbled about it in the small moments their superiors weren't listening. After all, even though they were elite titan-killers now, the recruits always had the brunt of the work. She didn't mind, though. It was better than going outside the wall. Everyone would stay safe another day. Eren would stay safe another day…

Even rarer than the time off itself was that Eren was here and Levi was not. They had an invisible chain wrapped around his neck and it was nigh unheard of for him to be out of one of the senior soldier's sight. Mikasa guessed today would be one of the very few exceptions.

It was someone's birthday, one of her friends among the new recruits. She couldn't remember who at the moment.

After begging and convincing, their captain agreed to give them the evening off as long as they completed their tasks of transporting their assigned goods. It was not something Mikasa ever suspected Levi would agree to, but he seemed to be in a better mood than usual today. So, they planned a small party. Sasha managed to get her hands on some sweet bread during the day for the occasion. Everyone was excited and, in between tasks, they chattered about the games they would play the moment their time freed up. Spirits were high, and so everyone put in the extra effort to get everything done as fast as they could.

It seemed their enthusiasm may have been a bit too much. They were supposed to be celebrating right now, but the room was silent. Everyone worked so hard and so fast that they exhausted themselves in the process. By the time they got into this room, everyone slumped over in the couches to 'catch their breath before the fun'. That must have been an hour ago.

She didn't need her eyes open to know that everyone had fallen asleep. Most surprisingly, even she did.

Mikasa was ready to call it quits and go to her bed she set up earlier, but there was something about this room that made her want to stay. She was so comfortable right now. So warm.

In her half-asleep daze, she sighed contently. Her memory failed to come up with a time since joining the scouts that she slept so peacefully. She felt so calm and relaxed that she toyed with the idea of staying right here until she woke up in the morning. What was it that was making her feel so at ease? This place? This couch? Her hazy mind couldn't decide which.

Then, she heard something; possibly what woke her up in the first place.

It was the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat. Slow and steady, yet strong.

Her eyes fluttered open, half-lidded. She didn't quite catch on to where she was for a moment. Her torso rose and fell lightly as the sound of breathing mixed with the heartbeats. So warm. _So_ warm that it almost lulled her back to sleep. The only thing that kept her from letting go and drifting back into her dreams was a scent she could recognize anywhere in this world.

Her eyes widened as the sudden realization of where she was dawned on her. Lying beneath her was Eren, sprawled out on the couch with one arm hanging off the side. She was huddled against his chest and her cheek rested just below his collarbone.

With a sharp jolt of clarity, all her sleepiness vanished in an instant. Mikasa was so stunned she couldn't move a muscle.

Armin was at the other end of the couch, a foot away from her, resting his head against his hand. His mouth was open and he looked completely knocked out. The other recruits were sitting on the other couches in similar poses, all still asleep. Someone was lightly snoring, probably Jean, but she couldn't focus enough to tell.

Everyone else barely registered to her. All she could think about was that she had fallen asleep cuddled up with Eren.

Suddenly, he mumbled something and turned his head slightly, facing her more easily. Mikasa moved to get away from him before he woke to see her like that, but she froze again when his hand snaked over her back. He gripped her side lightly, as though he knew she was about to get up and didn't want her to.

Mikasa's face flushed furiously as her mind drew a blank on what she should do, and, try as she might, she couldn't stop her heart from pounding against her ribcage at waking up to such a...intimate position. If she moved and he woke up, what would she say? What would he say? She certainly didn't intend to do this – to lie down with him and fall asleep - on purpose. She had never been this close to him before, and he was _so_ close!

Very carefully, she lifted her head up to get a glimpse of his face. Eren always had a frown on his lips and an intensity to his eyes that she rarely saw in others. It was always absent when he slept, reminding her of their younger years. This was the first time she ever got this close to his face, though. Close enough to pick out details she'd never noticed.

He looked calm right now, the way he used to look when they took naps in the fields just outside of Shiganshina. It certainly wasn't the time for it, but Mikasa's heart sunk at the memory of their old life. They were simpler times, and they were simpler people. Things between her and Eren were simpler when they were children.

As flustered as she was with being so close to him, her eyes started to droop. If she laid her head down on his chest again, she could let the warmth coming from him take her back to sleep. Because now she understood – he was the reason she was sleeping so soundly. If he woke before her, she'd feign ignorance and he'd laugh awkwardly about it and separate from her. By not doing anything right now, she could get swept away by the sound of his heart and that soft grip he still had on her.

Was it so wrong of her to take advantage of this situation? Just to feel close to him, like they used to be?

Mikasa sighed and frowned at her thoughts. This really wasn't as innocent as she was trying to make it out to be. She was just trying to justify as something else because she-

Not wanting to finish that thought, she shook it from her mind as her face reddened even more out of embarrassment. Now feeling incredibly anxious, she slowly and very, very carefully lifted off his chest, setting the arm that was wrapped around her onto him. She didn't separate from him completely, though. She may have realized that lying on him wasn't a good idea but she certainly didn't want to leave.

She continued to watch him as he slept, transfixed by the rising and falling of his chest and the slow and steady breaths that would brush against her face. Eren had rough edges about him, both physically and in personality. It was different right now. Once again, she couldn't help but notice the difference that sleep could bring. She didn't feel that rough, invisible wall she always felt intimidated by - the one that started to grow over the years as they got older.

It wasn't a wall he hid behind in fear, just one he put up for the world to see. The one that hid his soft smiles and calmer expressions.

The barrier was gone right now, and that feeling made her want to reach out to touch him. Touch the skin on his face, his chest, his arm. Just to know what it felt like. She knew she wouldn't do it, though, even when he was like this. She never let this strange urge grow into more than a passing thought. Mikasa didn't know why she wanted to know so badly, and she never let herself think about it. But lately, the need was always there.

When it started was a mystery – this desire to know what he felt like.

She always told herself no when the rare chance to touch him came up. Whether it was just a nudge of the hand, or a brief, concerned brush against one of his bruises, or something as simple as pulling out a stray leaf from his smooth, brown hair.

She always looked away and kept her distance. But what was the reason exactly? Why did she always hesitate when those things used to be second nature to her? She couldn't even begin to come up with a proper idea.

So, like all the other times, she swallowed and braced herself to turn away. It would probably be best if she left this room anyway. For once, she wouldn't insist that he get to his own bed. He looked so peaceful right now, and their day started bright and early tomorrow…

Seconds passed and soon turned into minutes. The room stayed still, absent of her footsteps that should have been fading down the hall. The air was quiet except for the sound of Mikasa's rising heart rate.

She wasn't moving. Her grey eyes wouldn't look away from Eren.

Then, in that moment of stillness, when everything faded out and it was just the two of them, she had a thought.

One that made her veins fill with ice yet run hot with shock at the same time. This, right here, right now, was probably something she'd never be able to have again. He'd wake, they'd separate, and she'd continue to watch him from afar. Always close enough to touch, yet too far to feel.

Only once, she told herself, just this once when no one was looking. Not even Eren.

Suddenly feeling terrified, she moved her hand before she could talk herself out of it this time. It seemed that time slowed as she reached up for his face. There was a tremble in her fingers as she hesitated just an inch away from him. Swallowing the fear that was so unlike her to have, they brushed against his skin.

Warm again. Like the rest of him.

That heat seemed to sap out some of her nervousness and Mikasa calmed down. She cupped his jaw and slowly ran her thumb across his cheek a few times, surprised by how soft it was. Her chest felt so warm. It was the feeling she always got when she was around him. There wasn't a place in this world she could call home, except whenever she was around him. So at peace, so happy, and hopeful.

He was her reason for continuing this fight through life. He believed in her. He sought refuge with her in ways that no one else could offer. He was family. He was, quite literally, everything to her. It was all because of him that she had a purpose to move forward.

With her hand still cupping the side of his face, Mikasa leaned in.

She kissed his cheek slowly and tried to pour her gratitude into it, and her hope. Though, at that moment, she didn't know what her hope was for. Her heart fluttered, but she let the mysterious reason why float right over her head. She wasn't going to think about this too hard, and would instead enjoy this for what it was.

She sighed when her lips left his skin and knew she had to back away now. As she leaned back, she let her hand run down his cheek in one last caress before dropping back to the couch.

Her heavy eyes opened and the moment they did, her breathing stopped instantly.

Green eyes were staring back at her, wide and unblinking. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Panic flashed through Mikasa, but she couldn't move away. She was stuck in his alarmed gaze. Thoughts she couldn't even begin to imagine flashed through his eyes, but he didn't say a word.

The silence and bone-chilling tension was absolutely agonizing. The word 'no' started to echo through her mind painfully over and over. Then, she knew. She screwed up. She knew she shouldn't have done that! What a fool she was to think she was safe to do something like that!

Mikasa's face reddened worse than it had all night when she realized exactly what she'd done. She kissed Eren. She hadn't planned on that. She just wanted to touch his face, but she never planned to do _that_!

It wasn't meant to be anything more than- than her way of saying thank you! In her mind, she tried to argue that it was just supposed to be something innocent but suddenly felt that was a bold-face lie. And Eren. The look on Eren's face was clear he did not think that was something innocent.

Mikasa kissed him. And now-

She froze.

…and now what?

"E-Eren," she started, completely at a loss of how to handle this.

He blinked, but the shock didn't ware off at all. A second later, his brow creased together in a frown of confusion. He sat up, pushing her off him in the process. "What are you doing?"

At the sound of his voice, people in the room began to stir from their sleep, but Eren's intense eyes never left her. "I-" she started, but couldn't finish.

What was she supposed to say? She was good at making up excuses on the fly, true or untrue, so why couldn't she think of anything to say right now?! He stared at her expectantly, but she had no idea what she was supposed to tell him.

When her hesitation stretched on longer than either of them were comfortable with, his frown deepened. He stood up and started to move away. Panic, again, took over Mikasa and she desperately grabbed his hand as he started to walk away. "Eren, wait! I'm sorry!"

He eyed her for a moment, but then ripped his hand from her and headed for the door, rejecting any notion of letting her explain herself. The sudden fear filling her head to toe grew worse with every step he took further from her, but her limbs were frozen and she couldn't go after him. So, instead, barely breathing, she stared wide-eyed at the door he unintentionally slammed as he left the room.

"Huh? Was that Jeager?" Jean said as he rubbed at his eyes. "What the hell? Did we all fall asleep?"

"Geez," said Conny, "some party this is."

People began to sit up and conversations started to buzz through the air, but Mikasa was completely unaware of it, still staring at the closed door. She could barely see Armin at the corner of her eye looking at her with concern.

"Mikasa, are you okay?" he asked, lightly.

She swallowed, knowing that she was not, and put a hand over her eyes.

* * *

A/N: What do you think so far? How was it for a first chapter? Interested in more? Let me know!

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews last chapter! You guys are awesome. So, I made some changes to this story and it's now going to be 8 chapters total. I love getting random inspiration during the day!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 **All For You**

 _Chapter 2_

...

"Ackerman!"

Mikasa jumped slightly at the sound of her name being yelled and looked towards the man that said it. Standing in front of the room was a squad leader staring at her with an unhappy frown.

"Am I boring you?" he asked.

She may not be paying attention to much surrounding her, but she certainly wasn't the only one who was staring off in another direction. And she was sitting in the back of the room, too.

The other forty or so people around her turned to look at her over their shoulders as tension filled the air. "No, sir," she said calmly.

"Then pay attention, or do you want to end up face-first in the mud with a broken skull?"

"No, sir."

With one last stern look, the man went back to displaying a new strap they were going to replace on their gear. Apparently, it allowed for more mobility. Many who were not already informed about it were gathered in here to learn how to properly replace it with the old one. It was obviously important, but Mikasa was busy with something else.

While everyone turned back to the lesson at hand, Eren's green eyes lingered on her for a moment longer. Finally, she had his attention. He ignored her all morning up until this point and, with that small look, she tried to shove her frantic thoughts onto him.

' _I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It wasn't what you think! Please stop avoiding me!'_

He looked away with an unreadable expression, and once again went back to ignoring her.

Mikasa always considered herself a calm and collected person. She was always in control, and there was hardly a thing in this world that could make her lose it. Eren was one of those things. And when said thing refused to so much as look at her, let alone let her try to explain herself, it had Mikasa in a nervous fit she wasn't used to.

She trailed him all morning to try and get his attention, but the only thing he gave her were glares and a cold shoulder. When they walked into this room, he sat down in a spot only two people could fit and dragged Armin with him. It bothered her to no end, knowing he did that on purpose. Mikasa had no choice but to take a seat diagonal from him right next to Jean, who was more than happy to accommodate her.

Since the beginning of this class, she took to boring holes into his back with her staring, wishing that he would turn around and look at her again - give her some sort of acknowledgment, or _anything_ other than what he was doing right now. She couldn't handle not knowing what he was thinking. She couldn't handle his silence.

Most of all, she couldn't handle being ignored.

Armin obviously knew something was up. He kept glancing from Eren to her with his brow furrowed. He even leaned in to whisper Eren a question, but was shut down when a tan hand waved in front of his face as if he were some annoying fly.

"Make sure you completely remove the buckle and replace it with the new one. The strap won't hold with the old one," said the instructor.

Mikasa's attention momentarily shifted when Conny turned to Sasha and whispered, "Sasha, calm down or you're going to get us in trouble!"

She was biting her lips nervously and bouncing her leg. They were sitting right behind Eren and Armin, who both turned back to them with quick glances.

"I can't stop thinking about it!" she said.

"It's just bread. You can get more later."

She shook her head. "It wasn't just bread, it was _sweet_ bread! The lady I bought it from in the other town said it was her last one, and I lost it!"

Conny shook his head in disbelief, obviously baffled by the way Sasha was reacting over losing the sweet bread they were supposed to eat for the party last night.

"I have to find it before someone else does!"

"Someone's probably already eaten by now," Conny said with a wave of his hand.

That only made her look more nervous.

She didn't respond and there was a moment of silence before another recruit sitting near them spoke up. "Did you say sweet bread?"

Sasha nodded frantically.

"Did it have cinnamon and frosting on it?" asked someone else.

Her eyes widened and she answered in a voice that everyone in the room could hear. "Yes!"

The instructor looked back to their area as well as everyone else.

Conny shot his hand up with an edgy look on his face. "Y-yes, I have a question," he said in an attempt to cover for her screw up.

"Questions come afterward," said the instructor, "No interrupting."

"Yes, sir."

Instead of just Conny, the man eyed their entire group before turning back to the drawing of the gear on the board.

Eren looked back at the food-obsessed girl. "Sasha, cut it out before he makes us all run laps because of you."

She ignored him and turned to the people who told her about the bread before. "Have you seen it?" she asked.

One of them nodded.

"Where?!"

"Hange has it."

Sasha blinked at them.

"We saw her walking around with it this morning. She was headed to her office, I think."

Sasha slumped in her chair with a shocked look on her face. Then, her hand darted out and grabbed Conny's upper arm. "You have to help me get it back!"

"Ow! What?"

"She's probably already eaten it," said Armin.

"What if she hasn't? We have to get it back!"

Conny stared at her and then narrowed his eyes. "Wait, you mean sneak into her office or something?"

She nodded.

"No way! Are you crazy?!"

"You can just ask her for it, you know," said Armin.

"Will you guys shut up!" Eren hissed.

"I see the recruits seem to be having an important discussion." They all froze and turned to look at the instructor. "Arlet!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Were you talking about this gear we're replacing?"

"No, sir…"

"I see," he said as he folded his arms, "Fifteen laps around the property after drills. All of you!"

Everyone grumbled and glared at Sasha, who wasn't bothered in the slightest and too busy chewing her fingernail.

"Alright, everyone head to the back and grab a buckle and strap. We stopped at this castle along the way for this reason. We're going to use the forest next to us to train with the new gear. You have four hours of drills to get used to the new feel."

With the wave of the instructor's hand, everyone stood up and turned towards the back. Now having permission to move, Mikasa made a beeline toward Eren.

"Eren," she said, fully expecting him to ignore her at this point. "I'm-"

"Sorry," he finished. "I know. You've said it a hundred times already. It's getting redundant at this point."

She gave him an apologetic look which he glared right past. He resumed his pace toward the back of the room. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Mikasa fell in line next to him as they as they approached the wall. She felt a little bit of relief that he was at least letting her stand by him, but it was short-lived as she soon realized he was still avoiding her. He was looking at and speaking to people he was next to as they grabbed the gear on the table; everyone but her.

After grabbing what they needed, they headed back to the desks to replace the equipment. She grabbed a chair and pulled up directly across from Eren. They all worked in an awkward silence and, once again, Mikasa constantly looked up to steal glances of his hard-set frown.

It didn't take long for her rising nervousness to be too much.

"You're ignoring me," she said.

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" he snapped without looking up.

' _And you're being mean,'_ she thought. Definitely more aggressive than usual. He was still mad over that kiss she gave him, but if he wouldn't accept her apology, what was she to do?

She sighed lightly. "If you want to yell at me, you can."

He looked at her in annoyance before rolling his eyes. "Why do you always do that?"

"What?"

"'Go ahead and scream at me, Eren'," he mimicked, "People don't just say that to each other casually. I swear, you _want_ me to yell at you sometimes."

' _It's better than being ignored.'_

"Did I miss something?" asked Armin as he looked between the two, obviously uncomfortable with the tension.

"Nothing important," Eren muttered.

For some reason, those words struck Mikasa in a way she did not expect. Looking down from Eren, and suddenly feeling completely drained and unwelcome at this table, she got to work on her gear. None of them spoke another word.

* * *

Mikasa followed behind Levi as they walked outside. She kept getting hesitant sideways looks the entire time and had to remind herself that it wasn't her they were all looking at. It was the common treatment towards the short, intimidating captain.

She often wondered if she was the only one who _wasn't_ afraid of him.

Once in an open area right outside of the forest, the group disbanded and worked on checking their gear. She could see and hear senior officers walking around assigning groups to each person. She naturally sought out Eren but kept her distance behind him.

"Arlet! You're with us," said an officer as he passed. Armin nodded with a 'yes, sir' and followed him, but before he got too far, he looked to Mikasa and Eren. He gave them a look she couldn't quite read before he was gone, leaving her alone with Eren.

It was here again – that uncomfortable tension in the air. With a frown, she watched Eren as he kept his back to her, securing and doublechecking his gear. She audibly sighed when she thought she could almost see the irritation radiating off him.

"Don't apologize again. I can tell you're about to," he said.

It was true. "You're angry with me."

"No, I'm not."

"Look at me."

"What?" he asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Your ears are red. They turn red when you lie."

He scowled and faced her fully. "Fine. I am a little mad. How do you expect me to react after waking up to you kissing me?"

A few heads turned in their direction, including a squad leader. Mikasa's face flushed at his forwardness and so did Eren's when he seemed to realize what he said. He looked away awkwardly for a moment.

"Why did you do it, anyway?"

His eyes had an intense look in them now, but Mikasa still didn't know what to say to him. Her heart was suddenly racing a mile a minute.

As she opened her mouth to utter some excuse she still hadn't fully formed, she spotted someone standing next to her at the corner of her eye. Both of them turned to Levi as Mikasa wondered how he got there without her noticing.

Eren immediately straightened up. The captain's sharp eyes looked between the two recruits before staying on Eren.

"Eren, you're with Gibson's team for drills," he said.

"Huh? Not yours?"

"No, I'm leading a more advanced course."

Not appearing to be hurt by the subtle jab at his competency with 3D maneuver gear, Eren nodded and started walking towards the squad leader. Mikasa hesitantly followed.

"Mikasa, you're staying with me."

She halted and so did Eren momentarily. She was both relieved and disappointed to hear him say that. Eren locked eyes with her briefly in another unfriendly glare before continuing on. She walked up to Levi, then wordlessly followed as he moved on.

She felt a nervous ball welling up in her chest from his question.

Why did she do it? _'I only wanted to touch your face._ '

But why did she want to touch him? _'I just wanted to…'_

Why? _'…'_

He was probably going to ask her this again later. What was she supposed to tell him when she herself couldn't come up with any words at all?

When they got to where they were headed, Mikasa stood around the small group and found that Jean was among them. He offered her a smile to which she barely acknowledged. After giving a very brief, clear-cut plan and a run-down of what was expected of them, Levi was in the air within seconds. The rest of the team followed, but Mikasa hesitated a second. She looked towards the area Eren disappeared one last time.

When she was airborne, she couldn't quite get her mind onto the task at hand. She was still too focused on her conversation with Eren. She shot the lines to a couple of trees in front of her but wobbled and lost her center of balance for a moment, before she corrected herself.

' _Must be the new gear,'_ she thought as she tightened her grip.

"Oi, Mikasa." She looked up to see Jean just above her. "You're moving slow today."

"I know," she said lightly.

"Come on. You're going to get left behind."

She sighed and shook her head. The thoughts weren't going anywhere, but she wouldn't let them get in her way. Or, at least, she'd try to. Eyeing the fast-moving elites in front of her, she decided to pick up her pace.

With a large dip through the air, she pulled the lines back and drifted in a free glide. This was all second nature to her. Distracted with thoughts of Eren or not, this course was going to be easy. Looking to the tall trees above her, she shot the lines out at a higher angle.

However, the moment they hit the trees, she knew something wasn't right.

For a slow second, her center of balance was thrown off again. Feeling herself start to fall back, she widened her eyes and arched her back to try and correct it, but nothing changed.

Something metallic snapped loudly through the air and a moment later, she was falling.

"Mikasa!"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! Eren sure is being mean to her. I wonder what's going on in his head… ;)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I loved reading the feedback for last chapter, and I want to give a shout out to Rogmes for the detailed review! Thank you for giving a breakdown of your favorite parts! It really helps me as a writer to know what aspects people like most about a story. That way, I can throw in similar written stuff in future chapters. So, thank you!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 **All For You**

 _Chapter 3_

...

Muffled voices spoke around Mikasa. They were familiar, but the faces they belonged to were lost on her. She didn't know what was going on or why people were standing around her chatting, but she knew she was waking up from an awful sleep. Her whole body felt lethargic and incredibly sore. No day of training had ever left her feeling like this, and it was obvious something was wrong. She squinted when her dry eyes opened to see Armin's crown of gold hair.

"Armin?" she asked with a hoarse voice.

He gasped. "She's awake!"

Mikasa blinked a few times before looking around her, and realized she was in a doctor's bed. She stared, confused, at the off-white sheets for a moment before she looked around. Coming out of a dizzy haze, instead of asking questions any normal person would ask, the only thing Mikasa could think about was the strange absence of the third, brown-haired member of their trio she was so attached to.

 _'Where is Eren?'_ she thought.

Something caught her eye at the end of the bed. Her ankle was wrapped tight in white bandages. Surprised, she tried to sit up to get a better look at it, but froze on the spot when an intense pain shot through her torso.

She grabbed her side and bit the inside of her cheek.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" asked a woman now hovering over her. Based on the way she was dressed, Mikasa guessed she was a doctor. "You've got a nasty bruise on your side. Probably from when Levi slammed into you."

"What?" she asked, lightly.

"You're lucky he was able to get to you as fast as he did. If Kirstein hadn't screamed your name, he never would have seen you."

Mikasa was completely confused and turned to Armin, who read her look easily. "You don't remember?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"You fell," said someone next to her.

Mikasa turned to see Jean sitting on the edge of another bed right next to hers. His cheek was bandaged up and he was lightly rubbing it. Quickly digging through her mind for an explanation, it only took a second for her last memory to come to her.

Drills. They were training. She was in the air, heard a snap...and then nothing.

She _did_ fall. That much she could remember clearly.

"Why are you here?" she asked him.

"When your line broke," said Armin, "it kinda hit Jean in the face."

"He's lucky to be alive, too. Your stupidity almost got you both killed," the doctor said harshly while examining her foot. "A few more centimeters and his head would have been sliced right off."

Feeling her heart sink a little as she pictured what the woman said, Mikasa widened her eyes and looked at Jean again. He shrugged nonchalantly after seeing the look on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly with an apologetic look.

"I'll be fine. It's you that got the worst of it."

Mikasa sat back and listened as they explained the situation to her. When her line broke, the other one drove her right into a tree. When she hit it, she fell to the ground and was only a few meters away from landing on her head before Levi saved her. Apparently, she was knocked out for most of the day. Drills were put on hold because of her accident and everyone was talking about it.

"A lot of people stopped by since you got here," said Armin.

"...and Eren?"

He hesitated. "He was here off and on till an hour ago."

"Why did he leave?"

"I don't know. He didn't say."

Mikasa had a few guesses. She frowned and looked to the side of her.

"I recommend a bath as soon as possible," the doctor said with a haughty glare.

"Why?"

"You're filthy." Mikasa looked down again at herself and finally noticed parts of her were caked in dried mud. There were even very noticeable chunks in her hair, and she wondered how on earth she didn't notice how dirty she was until then. The unfamiliar cleaner clothes she was somehow dressed in were a stark contrast to the dirt on her skin. The grumpy doctor continued, "You and Levi landed rather unceremoniously in the mud."

Mikasa sighed and discretely glanced at her foot and Jean's wound again. Feeling embarrassed and a little ashamed, she lowered her chin. Out of habit, she reached her hand up to hide the lower part of her face in her scarf, but her fingers hit cold air where soft fabric should have been. The blood drained from her face, and her heart nearly stopped at the feeling.

It was gone. Her scarf was gone.

She sat up and frantically looked around her and interrupted the doctor that was telling her to lie back down. "Where are my clothes?"

"Probably in the garbage by now."

Mikasa's eyes widened and she tried to stand up but was stopped by the older woman's hands. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"My clothes," she said frantically, "I need them."

The woman scoffed and started to lecture her about something, but she didn't listen. When it was clear she wasn't leaving that bed, Mikasa turned to her close friend and grabbed his wrist. "Armin! You have to go get my clothes! My scarf!"

She almost demanded it again when he didn't respond right away. Both Armin and Jean were staring at her with their mouths open in surprise. Mikasa's frantic thoughts halted when she realized she was squeezing him too hard, and when she found the look in her eye was screaming pure, unbidden desperation. She let him go instantly.

"Okay," he said while holding his hand up, "It's okay. I'll go find them."

She almost couldn't believe it. She snapped. She actually snapped at him...

"I'm sorry," she almost whispered.

"It's okay."

"You must have hit your head pretty hard," said Jean, then he muttered lowly, "I've never seen you freak out like that before."

Mikasa swallowed and rubbed her bare neck.

The door on the other side of the room opened and all of them turned to see Levi walk through. Eren trailed in behind him with a bag over his shoulder. He halted when he spotted Mikasa, then quickly walked up to the end of the bed. With concern in his eyes, he looked her over. "When did you wake up?" he asked quietly.

"Just now," she said as she dropped the hand touching her neck back to her lap.

He looked her over again, his eyes lingering on her ankle. A small sigh escaped his lips and he chewed on his cheek for a moment. Like a switch was just flipped, the worry left his face and was replaced by a small scowl. She was thrown off by the sudden aggression but tried not to show it.

The short captain walked up to the doctor who was now at the other side of the room, not seeming to notice Mikasa was awake. "What is it you wanted?" he asked.

The doctor held out a small brown bag. "Medicinal herbs for the pain. You forgot to take them with you earlier."

"I don't need them."

He turned away, completely dismissing her, and finally noticed Mikasa.

For the first time since the day she met him, Mikasa was afraid. Even Jean and Armin cowered back at the hostile, dark glare he was giving her. She tensed slightly as he approached the foot of the bed right next to Eren. He was dressed in clean clothes and she could tell the ends of his hair were wet, probably from washing away the mud they landed in. There was a bruise on his jaw, but she doubted that was his only injury.

"C-captain," Armin nervously acknowledged.

"How is she?" Levi asked, sternly.

"A bruised torso, a badly sprained ankle, and probably a mild concussion," said the doctor. "She's going to be on bed rest for the next few days and restricted to light activity for at least two weeks. No 3D maneuver gear for a month."

"I see."

Tension filled the air in silence and before it got too bad, Mikasa started, "Captain, I'm sorry-"

"You didn't secure your strap the way you were told to," he interrupted.

Mikasa hung her head.

"From now on, any gear replacements will be monitored by senior officers since you brats can't handle following directions." He turned to the side and she braved a glance at him. "I'm disappointed in you, Mikasa."

That was a low blow. She didn't bother apologizing again, knowing that's not what Levi wanted. Instead, she nodded her head. She understood why he was scolding her and was not going to be defiant about it even a little. She deserved it. If she hadn't let herself get so caught up in what was going on between her and Eren, she wouldn't be here. Jean wouldn't be sitting next to her with a wound on his face that may leave him with a scar for the rest of his life.

Levi looked at Jean. "Are you bedridden too?"

"No, sir. Just a scratch."

"Good. I still expect you all to finish your cleaning assignments before the day ends." He glanced next to him. "Eren, you're doing Mikasa's portion since she's useless."

She flinched at his words.

"Yes, sir," Eren said with a nod.

With that, Levi took his leave without another glance at her. They all breathed a little easier when he left through the door; surprisingly, without Eren. The older woman walked to the other side of the room again out of earshot and got to work on something. When Mikasa looked to Eren again, the frown was still there. For some reason, in that moment, her energy felt completely drained because of it. She suddenly wanted to be alone, wrap herself up in a blanket, and disappear into sleep.

"That was really stupid of you," said Eren. "You've never messed up like that."

"Eren, you really don't have to yell at her. She's heard it enough already," said Armin.

"I'm not yelling." He folded his arms. "I'm just saying she was almost killed because she didn't listen in class."

Armin studied Eren for a moment. "You can say the words 'I'm glad you're okay' without getting angry, you know."

Eren's anger faltered and he blinked at his friend a few times.

Armin stood up. "We should get going. The sun's almost set and we still have to clean."

Jean sighed, "Yeah."

"Are you going to be okay, Mikasa?"

She nodded. "Yes, thank you for coming."

"We'll come visit in the morning. Sleep well tonight."

"I'll try."

"Cleaning at this time of night?" Jean complained as they headed toward the door. "Tch. Maybe we'll find Sasha's damn bread."

"Eren, are you coming?"

Eren was still standing at the edge of the bed, unmoving. "I'm going to stay for a bit."

Armin looked between him and Mikasa before nodding and continuing on. When they left, the only sound they could hear was the doctor busy with something at her counter. Mikasa looked away, extremely uncomfortable and prepared herself for one of his rants.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

She thought about lying. "A little," she admitted.

He nodded thoughtfully then walked around the bed and sat in the seat Armin was in earlier. After a solid minute of complete silence, she wished he had left with Armin and Jean. She couldn't read what was going on in his eyes, and it didn't seem like he was going to tell her. One second he looked on the verge of yelling at her, and the next he looked away with hesitation.

She wasn't sure what to do.

He sighed and seemed to finally make his mind up about something. The aggression in the air vanished, and was replaced with something a lot calmer; the mood change completely threw her off. He pulled off the bag he had on his shoulder and dug through it. Mikasa was caught by surprise when he pulled out her red scarf she thought was lost. He tossed it at her, and the way he threw it made it land awkwardly around her neck. She touched it and brought it closer to her. The familiar scent was not there but was replaced with another. It smelled like Eren.

"I found it on the ground. It was dirty, so I tried to wash it out. I think it's still wet."

"Thank you."

"I've told you this before, but I can always get you a new one. That one's going to start falling apart."

"I don't want a new one."

He watched her for a moment and those same questions from earlier started swimming in his eyes again. Just as Mikasa started to worry that he was going to ask her one of those questions that caused the mess she was in, the doctor walked up. She held out a small box and put a pair of crutches against the bed.

"These are for the pain. I highly recommend you take them and not be stubborn about it like Captain Levi, and these," she said as she gestured to the crutches, "You'll be using for the next few days."

"Why are you giving them to her now?" Eren asked.

"So she can get to her room with them."

"I'm not staying here?"

Eren raised his voice a little. "She's hurt. She should stay for the night, at least."

"You're not the doctor here. I won't be around tonight. Squad Leader Hange, a couple of others, and I are leaving in an hour for a few days. Her injuries aren't bad enough that they need to be monitored."

Mikasa knew she was leaving out the reason that she didn't want to babysit her over night. It was clearly written all over her face that she thought she was a pest. No one seemed to really enjoy Mikasa's company today. Did everyone think she was a pest?

"Come," she held her hand out to help Mikasa up, "I need to get you to your room so I can start packing."

She eyed the older woman's hand, not wanting to take it at all. She'd rather walk all the way on her own than spend any more time with her hostile attitude. She noticed Mikasa's hesitation and opened her mouth, probably to get mad at her, but Eren spoke before she could.

"I can take her."

Mikasa looked at him surprised. The woman considered him for a moment before straightening up. "Fine, feel free. Mikasa, an officer is going to stop by tonight to talk to you about what happened, so try to stay awake long enough for it."

She didn't offer her an acknowledgment, but the woman didn't notice and walked away from the two. Eren stepped closer to her, and when he held out his hand, she hesitated. Slowly, she took it and he helped her sit up. He handed her the crutches. "Have you ever used these before?"

"No."

"Go slow, then."

She stood up and did as he said. She wobbled a few times, but moving around was easy enough. He wasn't that close to her, but she was hyper aware of his presence behind her as she made it across the floor. However, as they left the room and moved down the darkening hallway, walking with the crutches was no longer easy at all. She bit hard on her lip and almost fell twice because of the bruise on her side as one of the crutches dug right into it.

She stopped to try and adjust it.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Her adjustment made no difference at all.

After a few more steps of struggling, she heard a sigh from behind her. Eren grabbed her shoulder to stop her, then took away the crutches and leaned them against the wall. She was shocked and genuinely thought, for one second, that he was actually going to leave her stranded there on one foot. He didn't, though, and did something she did not expect at all. He stepped behind her and scooped her up in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a growing blush on her cheeks. His chest, which she was pressed tightly against, was warm.

"You're a terrible liar when you're in pain." He walked up to the wall. "Can you grab those?"

She didn't move.

"Mikasa?"

She blinked and swallowed, then reached out and grabbed the crutches. She kept her eyes on her hands and was stiff as they walked down the hall, unable to focus on anything but how close he was. And how incredibly warm his skin was beneath the thin fabric. Now, of all times, that unwanted memory popped in her head.

She looked at his chest, the same one she slept on. She looked at his hand, the same one that reached across her back to make her stay when she tried to get away from him. She looked at his cheek, the one that kissed without permission when she thought he wasn't looking. Unable to chase away the thought, Mikasa buried her still-red cheeks in her scarf.

Eren's eyes darted down at her and she was grateful for the low light.

"What? Don't give me that look," he said as he looked away with a slight scowl. "I'm not as weak as I used to be, and besides, this isn't the first time I've carried you."

That certainly was not what she was thinking, but it did make her realize this was a little odd. She cloud hear his strained breathing, but otherwise, he didn't act like her weight was too much. Confused, she looked at his arm only to find the scrawny one she was used to seeing was a little different. Maybe it was barely noticeable, but his bicep was a little bigger.

Her eyes narrowed and darted all over his chest. Since when did his muscles fill out like that? His chest and shoulders looked thicker. Again, hardly obvious, but definitely a change she should have picked up on!

She forced her head to the side when she realized she was staring a little too intently. When Eren got to her room, he walked near her bed and set her down easy right next to it. He held her shoulder to steady her until she wasn't wobbling. She straightened and looked up at him.

She looked _up_.

He was taller too? One, maybe two centimeters?

 _'Since when...'_ she trailed off, completely taken off guard.

Mikasa was staring again, but this time Eren noticed. He took his hand from her and backed up a step or two to get away, then reached up to scratch his head with a frown. "Is there anything else you need?"

She shook her head. "No."

Breaking the tense air between them, he turned and walked to the door, but before he stepped through, he halted. The same conflict she saw earlier raged in his eyes, and Mikasa hoped again he wasn't going to bring up the incident that landed her in this situation. She could see it, though. It was clear as day in those green orbs. He wanted to _know_.

...and she didn't want to tell him.

Lucky for her, a sigh from him granted her some relief. He looked away, then quietly offered her one small word. "Goodnight."

Then, he was gone.

In the dead-silent room, Mikasa let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Absentmindedly, she reached up and touched her scarf. Drowning on confusion, she pulled the red fabric up to cover her face again as she fell back onto the bed.

* * *

A/N: I know some might think Eren is acting a little OOC this chapter, but bare with me. He would be a lot nicer to Mikasa in normal circumstances, but these are not normal circumstances. He's acting like this for a reason. It'll make more sense in future chapters. Also, I believe Mikasa is a lot more expressive than people think. She's quiet on the outside, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot going on in her head.

So, are you liking the slow build going on? Next chapter is going to be so much fun. I think you guys will like it!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I finally got around to drawing something! Yay! No more boring red leaf. If anyone wants to see the full picture, I have a profile at DeviantArt under the same pen name. Check it out if you're interested. And yes, it was drawn specifically for this story.

Thank you for the reviews last chapter! Andrew Kennedy, Elivra26, Rogmes, GrandCactusMan, and Jugianca6, you guys are awesome. Your feedback really makes my day and inspires me to no end.

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **All For You**

 _Chapter 4_

…

Mikasa tiredly opened her eyes to the sight of her room's dark ceiling. She let out a sigh of defeat and pulled the covers off. Taking care not to strain her bruised torso, she sat up in her bed, stared out the moonlit window, and decided to give up on sleep. It was quiet except for the light snores coming from Sasha, her current roommate. Though distracting, she wasn't the reason Mikasa couldn't fall asleep.

She eyed the small box of medicinal herbs sitting on her nightstand, still unopened. At the same time, her stomach growled painfully, and she was beginning to regret not listening to the doctor's advice. Levi must have an even higher tolerance for pain that she did.

Mikasa hadn't eaten since yesterday, and going to bed without painkillers or food wasn't doing her any favors.

With another sigh, she grabbed the box and stood up with her crutches, which she was starting to loathe. Even though they were now cushioned with rags and didn't dig into her bruise anymore (thanks to her on-the-fly thinking as she headed to the shower earlier), it still didn't make them pleasant to move around on. She'd have to make it work, though.

She didn't have Eren to carry her around this time.

As quietly as she could, she left the room and made the long walk to the castle kitchen. There were a few voices and lit rooms along her way and she avoided them as best she could. There was a slight possibility she'd get into trouble for wandering around so late and, after the day's events, she was not in the mood to be drained by more lectures...

She'd quickly make the herbal tea, eat some bread and go straight back to bed. Simple and easy.

Her luck and hope disappeared into the night air when she rounded the corner to the corridor that lead into the kitchen and saw a man she recognized. Commander Erwin, walking as tall as he always did, slowed his pace when he saw her.

Mikasa halted and tried to salute him, but stopped when he waved his hand dismissively.

"You're up late," he said.

"I haven't eaten anything today."

"Hm," he mused as he looked from her crutches to her wrapped foot, "Captain Levi told me you were injured during drills today."

"How is he?"

"Who knows? He's not one to tell others when he's in pain."

"Oh."

"The ordeal caused quite a commotion. Drills were cancelled because of it."

"I'm very sorry. I made a mistake and didn't pay attention. It won't happen again."

"A mistake that could have taken your life. Everyone thought that was the case when you wouldn't wake up."

Erwin paused and Mikasa hung her head sheepishly, readying herself for the same scolding she received all day. Again, she'd take it without argument, especially from the man in front of her. However, that is not what the commander did.

"There's no use in dwelling in regret. We all make mistakes." She looked up at him and he offered her a hint of a small smile. "You're no fool, Mikasa. I don't believe telling you that you are because of a slip up will help the situation. Just pick yourself up, brush off the dust, and do better next time."

Mikasa blinked and then nodded her understanding. She always took the commander for little else but a cold, calculating man. His uplifting words made her feel reassured for the first time that day.

"Thank you, sir."

Erwin nodded, then continued on his way.

"You two don't stay up too late," he said as he passed her.

She looked over her should at him curiously as he disappeared into the dark.

 _'Two?'_ she thought.

When she finally stepped into the large kitchen, she realized what he meant by that. Standing next to one of the counters, facing away from her, was Eren. He was staring tiredly at a pile of vegetables, but looked up in surprise when he saw her approach.

"Mikasa? What are you doing here? You should be resting, not walking around."

She held up her small box and explained (heavily sugarcoated) her predicament.

His brow furrowed. "The doctor didn't give you anything to eat when you woke up?"

"No."

"I don't like her, whoever she is."

Mikasa didn't either, and she had no interest in talking about her. "Why are you here?"

"I just got done cleaning."

"But, it's almost midnight?"

"And?"

Her face turned apologetic, remembering that Levi made him do all her work. "You're up late because of me. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he said with a frown while looking down at her leg. "and stop apologizing for everything already. That's all you've done since-"

When Eren didn't finish, a slightly awkward air settled between them. She was grateful when he turned away from her and back to the pile of vegetables. She had an overwhelming urge to leave the room and take her chances without food or medicine. Before she could make up her mind, he spoke using a tone that betrayed the tension.

"I haven't eaten either. I came here to grab something and go to bed, but..." he trailed off and reached out to one of the onions and picked it up, then his voice lowered. "Do you remember that soup my mom used to make us? The pheasant one?"

"Yes." There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

"All the ingredients are here, the spices too, I think, but I can't remember the recipe. I'm trying to, but it's just not coming back."

When they were children, they didn't often get to eat nice food, but Eren's mom had a way of making simple ingredients taste amazing in some of her recipes. The one he was talking about was a treat among the rest and one of his favorites back then. They only made it when they could get their hands on the rare game.

"I know it," she said.

"You do?"

She nodded. "I helped her with it a few times. I can make it if you want."

The downcast look on Eren's face disappeared and his eyes lit up. However, he hesitated when he looked at her foot again.

"You shouldn't be moving around, though."

"I can handle it. It's just cooking."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He looked to the side in contemplation for a moment. "Okay, but I'll help you."

Her embarrassment for being, in the words of their captain, "useless", made her want to say no, but she soon forgot her troubles when she saw a small, eager smile on Eren's face.

Not caring that it was practically the middle of the night, or that they might get in trouble for making food like this without permission, they got to work gathering the vegetables, meat, and spices they would need and sat down at one of the tables to chop everything.

The process was nostalgic for her, probably more so than the brunette in the next seat. Eren may remember the soup, but his claim to remember some of the ingredients surprised her. She and Carla Jeager were the only ones that ever put time in to make it. He rarely helped them with cooking; too busy getting dirty in the streets or making strange gadgets with Armin.

The always-distracted Eren from her memories must have paid more attention to the small things than she gave him credit for.

They were quiet most of the time, hardly saying a word except to ask or give direction. A little unpleasant for her, but as long as she kept her hands busy, the silence was fine. He fetched things when she needed them and more than once made her sit down when she tried to take on a task a little too difficult to handle with crutches.

He even took things a step further started making her tea with the herbs she was given without being asked.

His helpfulness, the simple acts of cooking, and the familiar smell that eventually filled the air had a familiarity that put her mind at ease.

It was calming and peaceful.

Mostly.

The only thing odd about any of it was Eren's staring.

At first, she thought she was just seeing things. He kept glancing towards her during their small tasks, never offering a reason why. The first few times she noticed him, she'd meet his eyes and he'd quickly look away, saying nothing. When it kept happening, she stopped looking over and instead watched him in the corner of her eye wondering what was going on with him.

Mikasa was already on edge because of the comment he didn't finish earlier. She didn't want to ask him why his eyes were sticking to her like glue for fear he might bring up the very thing that started the predicament she was in, so she kept to herself. But that was easier said than done.

In silent or not, Eren rarely ever gave her this level of attention.

 _'Does he really think I don't notice him?'_ she thought as she dropped the last of the spices into the soup.

Never before had he looked at her so intently, and Mikasa found she was more uncomfortable with it than surprised. It was distracting and every movement she made started to grow rigid; too hyperaware of his green eyes.

She acted oblivious and planned to keep the façade up until she could get away from him.

However, her resolve to remain cool and unaffected cracked when she reached up to grab a small cup for her tea that just finished, only to see Eren's reflection against the foggy metal on the stove change.

He stood behind her leaning against the counter with a hand grabbing his chin in contemplation. He was watching the back of her head and frowned as if peeved about something. But then his eyes started moving downward, slowly across her back.

Shock.

That was all she could register when they halted at the small of her back, then went lower than the hem of her shirt.

' _!'_

Her fingers bumped into the cup she completely forgot she was reaching for and it fell to the ground, shattering loudly across the floor. Both of them flinched, and looking toward the hallway, listening for sounds that they may have woken anyone.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Slipped," she muttered.

Ignoring the mess on the floor, she grabbed the ladle for the soup and started stirring a little too quickly.

"Don't move. I'll clean it up."

As if she could move even if she wanted to. She was frozen to the spot.

Did he just…check her out?

Angling her face away from him so he couldn't see the look she was making, she reached up for another cup. Eren stepped away to throw the ceramic in the trash and she had all her attention focused on not dropping the next one.

When she was a hand-widths away from grabbing it, she felt heat against her back. A hand lightly landed on her waist as another reached over her for the cup.

Mikasa's heart skipped a beat and froze _again_ , completely caught off guard _again_.

"I got it."

He stepped away from her just as quick with the cup in his hands. Not appearing to be flustered as much as she was by what just happened, he poured tea into the cup and set it down on the table. He ushered her to sit down and drink it while he got their bowls ready. Mikasa complied while avoiding his eyes and absentmindedly touched the spot he had only a moment ago.

Extremely attentive, quiet, and now touching her? What was going on here?

He sat next to her and immediately shoved a spoonful into his mouth, but paused. "It's exactly how I remembered it."

He slowly turned to her with an expression that was…thankful? Relieved? She couldn't quite tell, but he seemed happy and it calmed Mikasa a little to know it was partly because of her.

The two of them ate their dinner and Mikasa worked on finishing her tea. As the minutes passed, she could feel the herbs starting to work and the extreme ache in her ankle and torso slowly subsided. It appeared it wasn't just for physical pain either. It was doing wonders for relaxing her; enough that her eyes started to feel heavy.

The roles switched between them. Eren was busy with his food and Mikasa took to discretely stealing glances of him, wondering what on earth he was thinking when he was looking at her a few minutes ago.

Or _why_ he did it in the first place.

"I'm leaving at the end of the month."

"Hm?" she mumbled.

"I said I'm leaving at the end of the month."

She set her tea down when she saw the seriousness in his eyes. He finished with his food and leaned against the table with his arms loosely crossed.

"Where?"

"I'm going to the capital with the commander and a few others."

Her previous thoughts dropped in an instant, and a nervous knot swelled in her chest. "Why are you going to that place?"

"The commander told me we're just meeting with a few nobles. It's some sort of gathering, like a party. I was talking with him about it right before you came in. He said it's not anything to worry about."

"He's said that before."

"Well, I believe him. This isn't some sort of undercover mission or anything. I think it has to do with the Survey Corps getting more funding."

She almost shook her head. Of course he would believe him. The people walking around here – Levi, Erwin, a few others – they were his idols since childhood. Even after all they put him through, he still blindly followed their orders. He would trust anything they told him…

"I'll go with you."

"No, you're staying here."

"If I speak to the commander-"

"He already said I'm the only one going. I'll be fine, Mikasa. If it makes you feel any better, Levi will be with me the whole time."

She frowned and looked to the side.

' _To protect you, or everyone else?'_ she thought bitterly.

"I didn't tell you so you could freak out like you always do whenever I leave," he said in a harsh tone. Though, a second later, his face and voice softened. "I'll be fine. Don't worry, okay?"

Impossible.

Arguing with Eren about this was a lost cause. There were other things she could force him to listen to when needed, but this was not one of those situations, so she didn't say anything back and simply nodded her head. Simple party or not, nothing good ever came from going further inside the walls. She had every intention to go to the commander first thing in the morning and convince him to let her come. Then again…

She looked down at her wrapped leg and crutches with a grimace.

Eren grabbed her empty bowl along with his and walked over to the sink to wash the dishes. She finished her tea and tapped the table with her fingers, occasionally glancing at him.

When he put away the last of the clean pots, he walked back towards the table, avoiding her eyes, and sat back down. Quiet again. Tense again. Was there no avoiding this anymore?

"Thanks for the soup." He handed her the box of herbs. She slowly took it.

"You're welcome."

"Do you need help getting back to your room?"

"No. I can handle it," she said confidently. With the pain subsided, it would be an easy task for her. However, part of her wanted to say yes. Would he carry her in his warm arms like before if she did? It was…tempting.

"Okay. If that's what you want." He hesitated. "I'm sorry I was rude to you earlier today."

"It's okay."

He flashed her a quick glare. "It's not, though. I still think you should have paid attention in class, but," his tone lowered and he looked away, "you were distracted because I was being a jerk."

Mikasa could count on one hand the number of times he ever offered an apology like that to her. Her cheeks colored slightly in embarassment, but she couldn't help but feel a little warm because of his words.

"I forgive you."

"You say that, but you're still making that sulking face."

She was, but wasn't it obvious why? Clueless as he seemed on occasion, Eren often read through the lines in her silence. He seemed to understand the unspoken question. She wasn't sure if he did it on purpose or unconsciously, but he reached up and momentarily touched the cheek she kissed.

"Listen, I'm not mad at you anymore," he sighed, then looked away awkwardly with his own cheeks turning red. "Just don't do it again, okay?"

She quickly nodded and that seemed to be good enough for him. They sat stiffly for another minute before Eren stood up and left the room without a goodnight or a back glance at her. She didn't mind, though.

Not knowing how to get rid of this horridly uncomfortable feeling, she fell back to her usual tactic she already did today. She pulled her red scarf up to cover most of her face and buried it in her arms that were crossed on the table.

She finally got her apology across and he forgave just as she wanted him too. The matter was done. Over with. Finished. They could get back to the way things were now. Things were back to normal now.

So why did it feel like nothing changed?

* * *

A/N: I wonder why the fanbase for these two as a couple is so small, or maybe that's just the impression I get. I really like these two together.

Did you love the tension between them this chapter? Eren sure is acting strange. Do you guys have any guesses what's up with him?

See you next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Whew. Sorry this is late. That's what I get for writing three stories at once. Also, I hit some major writier's block with this chapter. This story is entirely from Mikasa's perspective, so I had to get a little creative about how to convey what's going on in Eren's head without going the boring and obvious route.

The idea for chapter is what I ended up with after brainstorming ideas. Let me know what you think! :)

I want to try something new with my author's notes. You guys leave such awesome reviews and all I do is thank you at the beginning of each chapter. I want to change that!

Raven Bishop: I'm glad you like the tension and characterization! Those are hard hurdles to get over when writing for sure. Jungianca6: Yeah, I've never been a huge fan of quick romances. In my opinion, the story of getting there is funner to read! Hopefully, this chapter will shed some light on what Eren's thinking ;P RachelGarfield12: Thank you! Glad you liked the chapter! Putxi: Eren is acting a little strange, isn't he? Lol

Rogmes: Dude, you don't need to be articulate when giving reviews. They are appreciated no matter what! I think it's my favorite too (so far!). I was giggling the entire time I wrote that scene of Eren checking out Mikasa. The people I live with were giving me weird looks the entire time. Don't worry, Eren's coming around, and there will be lots of fluff on the way!

Squid-Lady: Stubborn Eren and stubborn Eren, BUT he might start figuring things out...I'm glad you thought the kiss was in-character. I was nervous about that being OOC when I first posted. Guest: I'm sorry! I promise I won't abandon this! Just lost my muse for a minute there. wercrazybesties4lyf: Omg, your reviews are wonderful! 'le gasp' I am totally stealing that! They made my day when you wrote them!

Disclaimer: No own, no sue.

* * *

 **All For You**

 _Chapter 5_

…

Mikasa was upset.

No, more like bothered in ways she never thought herself capable of. Her mood shifted by the hour and she couldn't quite decide what to call what she was feeling.

 _Unhappy_ because Eren was still noticeably ignoring her, just like that morning before drills. _Irritated_ because no matter how many times she confronted him about it, he would get angry and tell her to 'cut it out and stop asking already' – that he's _not_ avoiding eye contact and talking with everyone else more than her. _Confused_ because in the middle of his coldness, he'd suddenly act pleasant and normal, then stare into her eyes for a second longer than usual and go back to frowning at her.

 _Awkward_ because he may act like he forgave and forgot, but there was no denying the massive change in his attitude towards her. He was obviously uncomfortable around her now.

Two days passed since her accident during drills and it was two days of dealing with that uneasy lump in her throat when Eren would tense up and go stand next to someone else the moment she walked into the room, or when she would try to chat with him only to have him give her small, dismissive answers like she was an extreme nuisance.

He wasn't mad at her, he claimed, yet his actions spoke far louder than his words.

On top of his avoidance, there was another change in his attitude that appeared out of he wasn't being outright rude and cold toward her, he was showing her utterly random acts of helpfulness _while_ being rude and cold.

He'd ignore her, yet make sure she didn't run into issues as she hobbled around the castle on her crutches. They may have always been small to begin with, but their conversations were no longer existent at the dinner table, yet she noticed the way he'd bring her a cup of water or take her plate when she was finished eating so she wouldn't have to get up.

She was grateful for his thoughtfulness at first, but the way he was going about it made her feel like he was doing it out of a sense of obligation and pity instead of actual kindness.

His 'forced kindness', his refusal to speak to her or look into her eyes, the callously short words - it was _not_ Eren; not the one she knew so well. Never, in all her years of knowing him, had he acted so...odd. It all boiled down to a rather unpleasant thought.

Mikasa had a terrible sense she no longer recognized the boy she grew up with.

With his absolute refusal to talk to her about it, she wasn't left with many options. Eren's incredibly stubborn nature with this blew almost every other stubborn thing he did in the past right out of the water - almost up there with his adamant determination to join the Scouts.

Until she could think of a way out, Mikasa had no other option but to wait until he stopped this odd behavior and turned back into his usual self. People went through mood swings all the time. He had to snap back at some point, she told herself, yet...

It had been only one hour since she reached that conclusion and the wait was already agonizing. It was taking too long, and she wasn't handling it well.

Still staring with narrowed eyes at the door frame she was facing, her frown dropped even more. The hesitant looks her friends gave her as they packed things around her was a clear enough sign her irritation was visible.

If she didn't already have a high tolerance for cold, the level she was worked up to would have kept her warm against the stale, pine-scented morning air coming in through the open windows.

Along with many others, they were tasked with inventorying the goods the Survey Corps recently purchased. If marked on the list the squad leaders gave them, they were to package some of them up for the trip they were going to make to the permanent headquarters a few days from now. There was little Mikasa could do because of her injuries and so most of the time she sat quietly with nothing but her troublesome thoughts to keep her occupied.

"Doesn't it look wonderful?" Sasha asked longingly as she stared at a chipped off painting of the word 'Sugar' on a wooden crate.

"Those are boots, Sasha," said Conny. "Pretty sure you can't eat those."

"No, I mean what was in the box before the boots. Sugar~ I haven't had something sweet in weeks."

"We had those chocolate biscuts for dinner last night."

"They were burnt."

"True...they were pretty gross."

"What about that sweet bread you bought? Didn't you try it before you lost it?" Armin asked as he scribbled the number of boxes in front of him on a piece of paper.

"Do _not_ bring that up," Conny growled, but it appeared it was too late. Sasha immediately had a desperate plea on her face. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Please?"

"I already told you - I'm not going to help you sneak into Hanges' office just to see if she actually took your bread."

"But she's not even here! You know how to pick a lock better than me!"

"I'm not going to risk getting in trouble for some food! And why do you want me to do it, anyway? I'm not the only one who knows how to pick a lock. Go ask someone else."

She blinked a few times and then looked to Armin, who quickly shook his head. Biting her lip, she looked to Mikasa, who was still staring at the open door. Sasha hesitantly approached and tapped her pointer fingers together. "Hey, Mikasa-"

"No," she interrupted flatly without breaking her stare. Clearly picking up the venom in her voice, Sasha shut her mouth. Her and the others in the room exchanged looks at their black-haired friend's not-usual behavior, and Mikasa tried to ignore it.

"You shouldn't be trying to sneak into her office in the first place. Just go buy more," Armin suggested.

"It's a two-hour ride to that woman that sold it. There's no hope unless the commander says I can go." She buried her face in her palms as if she was about to cry. "I've never smelled cinnamon bread so delicious, and I wanted to share it with everyone, but now we'll never get to taste it…"

Conny suddenly looked like he felt bad about the whole situation, but the expression was there only briefly before he rolled his eyes and continued moving boxes.

"Maybe Jean will help you."

Sasha raised her eyebrow at Armin, then walked back over to her previous spot to pick up another crate. "Eh, I don't know. He can't pick a lock very well. He swears too much when he gets impatient while doing it. Someone will hear him."

Armin hesitated a moment. "Why do you all know how to pick a lock?"

Sasha and Conny exchanged brief glances before she laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Heh, no reason."

"Survival skill," Conny said simply. "If you want, we can teach you how."

"No, thanks. I'm good."

"Alright, but let me know if you change your mind." Conny looked between the faces in the room. "Hey, Sasha. Where's Jean?"

Sasha was in the middle of picking up a very heavy box and strained her answer. "Why are you asking me?"

"He took the heavier boxes to that room down the hall; so did Eren," said Armin.

"They need to come back and get this box," Sasha said as she took a few uneasy steps. "They forgot about it."

At the mention of Eren's name, Mikasa audibly sighed.

A moment later, she decided her limit was officially hit. While she enjoyed being around the others, sitting around for the last two days with absolutely nothing to do but brood was wearing on her too much. She was tired of being useless and done with stressing over things she couldn't make sense of. Carefully pushing herself down from the wooden box she was on, she grabbed her crutches. "Armin," she said softly.

"What?" her blonde friend asked as he walked up to her. "Do you need help?"

"No, I'm fine. What is there left to inventory?"

"A few more rooms down the hall."

"Give me one."

He looked like he was about to tell her no, but dropped the hesitant expression after darting his eyes between hers. "Are you sure? Technically, you're not even supposed to be walking around yet."

"I know, and yes, I'm sure."

Instead of just one, he handed her two lists. For some reason, Mikasa was touched by the added gesture and some of the tension in her shoulders disappeared. She gave him a genuine 'thank you' and he nodded in return. "Oh, that reminds me, I couldn't find the clothes they threw out. I've looked and asked, but-"

"Don't worry about it anymore," she interrupted, forgetting that she asked him to find her dirty clothes they took after her accident. She'd be heartbroken if Eren hadn't found her scarf first. "Thank you for looking."

He gave her a small smile, and Mikasa left the room a second later.

She scanned the papers in her hand, running her eyes over the instructions and items she needed to find. As she did, footsteps approached from behind. Mikasa looked back to see Sasha holding the heavy box she commented about earlier. It looked like it was about to pull her to the floor.

She halted when she saw Mikasa looking at her and smiled awkwardly through her exertion.

Without comment, Mikasa turned back around. She headed toward the rooms on the western wing of the large building, occasionally passing others who were either cleaning or inventorying as well. However, she slowed when she approached an open door and heard familiar voices echo past her.

It was Eren, Jean and maybe two others she recognized. Instead of sparing a moment to step in and say hello, she gripped her crutches tighter and kept her eyes forward. There was no point in stopping in to see them, to see _him_. He was ignoring her, afterall, and she felt she didn't have it in her to be brushed aside for the hundredth time.

She was really going to do it - walk away and get busy with her task - but one string of words in particular floated through the frame that made her freeze on the spot.

"Come on, Eren, admit it. A woman as sexy as her is the kind every guy dreams about."

"She's almost forty," Eren said with boredom in his voice.

"This weird fixation you have with older women is really starting to creep me out," said Jean.

Mikasa furrowed her brow slightly.

Eren spoke again, but Mikasa couldn't make out his muffled voice. She got closer to the door to hear better, but it didn't help much. A sudden, overpowering need to know what was going on in there made her completely forget about the lists in her hands.

Not bothering to listen to the little voice in her head pointing out the moral dilemma of eavesdropping, she quickly looked down the hall one last time then quietly stepped into the room. The area in front of the door was blocked by a wall of boxes tall enough to keep her hidden. She slowly got closer to the stacks and peeked through the cracks between the stacks, looking for Eren.

"I'm serious. Age doesn't matter, not when you're appreciating beauty," came a sly voice.

"She's a squad leader," said Jean. There was a thud as one of them put a box down.

"She's hot. That's what matters."

Mikasa knew who the third voice belonged to, but she didn't know the guy very well. If she remembered right, his name was Adam. He was a few years older than her, and known for his leadership skills and ability to carry out difficult orders. He came off as cold and confident to most people, but when no one but the recruits were looking, he seemed to revert back into a troublesome teenager.

When their superiors weren't looking, the model soldier everyone claimed him to be disappeared. He seemed to enjoy talking about juvinalle things and they were the only ones he'd drop his facade for.

He was extremely immature at heart, in Mikasa's opinion.

 _Thud_. "You sure love talking about this stuff."

"I'm just trying to be the guiding light to you youngins," said Adam. "Offer advice and coax you out of your little teenage shells."

"I don't need advice."

"Yeah, you do. Every kid your age with no experience does."

"Stop calling me a kid. You're not that much older than us."

"Maybe, but if I had a month for every type of experience I've had with the ladies, I'd be in my nineties," he bragged. "So, that makes me the perfect advice-giver."

"Ugh."

Suddenly, Sasha stepped through the door with the heavy box she was carrying earlier. She had her attention set on walking further in, but when she saw Mikasa leaning silently against the boxes, her famous intuition kicked in.

She must have realized what Mikasa was doing really quick because she stilled and listened to the voices in the room without asking her why she was hiding. Quietly, she set the heavy box down on the floor as gracefully as she could, then walked up to her.

With a quizzical expression, she silently copied Mikasa's pose a few spaces next to her and listened too.

"You guys obviously don't know how to appreciate the female body. You're focusing too much on the meaningless details like age. You need to look at the features more."

 _Thud_. "And end up getting thrown out of the corps like the others who were looking at features too much? No thank you," said Jean.

"Those guys were just perverts and I'm not talking about just those areas, I mean all the other features. Legs. Eyes. Hair."

"Hair?" Eren scoffed. "Why does hair matter?"

"Are you serious? Hair is one of the most important parts. Girls' hair is silky and soft; nothing like a guys. Ever touched it before?"

"Yeah."

"I mean really touched it as in ran your hand through it? If you had, you wouldn't be asking that question." Eren didn't answer and there was some shuffling across the floor. "There's ten over here. Write that down." Someone else scribbled the number on paper. "My preference is brown hair - the color of expensive chocolate. I feel like I'm touching the finest, softest chocolate there is. Who can resist a girl with hair as beautiful as that?"

Next to her, Sasha looked at a loose strand of her hair curiously and toyed with it. She had a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Do you practice saying this stuff in front of a mirror?" said Jean.

"Yep," he admitted. "What about you, Jean? You look like a chocolate brown kind of guy."

"Brown hair looks like dirt."

Sasha stopped touching her hair and narrowed her eyes at a slit between the boxes.

"That, right there, is why you don't have a girlfriend." Mikasa heard Jean get flustered by that statement, but before he could attempt to defend himself Adam continued, "How about you, Eren? What's your preference?"

"I don't know."

 _Thud_. "Come on, just say it."

"I don't see why it matters in the first place."

"..."

"What?" Eren growled.

"Are you gay?"

"No, I'm not."

"Okay, asexual then."

"What?!" Eren asked, taken aback.

"You know, no interest in either. I guess it wouldn't be that much of a stretch. I mean, you titans don't actually have anything downstairs."

 _SLAM!_

Sasha jumped at the loud noise and Mikasa considered stepping out from hiding to try and curb what she knew was about to happen next.

"Huh, he has a point," said Jean.

"I've never heard you talk about girls-"

"Don't you ever compare me to titans! I don't care how similar we look! I am NOT like them!" Mikasa could perfectly imagine the way he threw his hand through the air at that moment and guessed that's exactly what happened.

"It was a joke-"

"I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS JUST A JOKE!"

"Okay, okay. So touchy," Adam said calmly, completely unaffected by Eren's hostility. "Titans are off limits when it comes to joking. I got it. I'm sorry."

Contrary to his playful tone, there was, surprisingly, a very genuine edge with his apology and that was probably the only reason Eren didn't get in the other's face about it to continue arguing. With an aggressive huff, Eren picked up the box he dropped and slammed it onto another stack. He grumbled something under his breath and stomped back to the area he was before.

"Anyway," said Adam, "you gonna answer my question?"

"What question?" Eren hissed.

"What color hair you like."

"Why does it matter? And why do you want to know so bad?!"

"Just answer, or your asexuality is back in question."

"Ugh! Fine!" he snapped, completely frustrated. "Black, I guess. I've never thought about it!"

 _Thud._

 _'Black...?'_ Mikasa thought.

"Okay, I'm a little more inclined to think you're normal. I knew you were obsessed with being a soldier, but if you haven't even thought about hair, you're worse than I thought. Tell me you've at least thought about the rest of the package."

"Who knows at this point?" Jean said with sly amusement. It surely earned an icy glare from Eren.

"Shut up, Jean," Eren warned.

"I wouldn't tease Eren too much," said Adam. "You're not exactly any better."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You talk about girls, at least. I'll give you props for that, but you're a virgin, right? Ever kissed a girl?"

"Wha- I-!"

Sasha covered her mouth to stiffle a laugh when Jean tried pathetically to back his way out of that one. Adam's tone was disbelieving when Jean ended his short rant. "Right...well, if you ever want to know how it's actually done, I'm happy to offer my insight."

"For the hundreth time, we don't need your damn advice," said Eren.

"I wish I could go back to the days when I was still innocent," Adam said longingly.

"Do you ever listen to a word I say?"

"Sometimes."

"Why do you want to go back?" Jean asked. "You just made fun of me for being too 'inocent'."

"True. Okay, I'll change that. The only thing I would go back to experience again was my first kiss." Everyone fell silent and a few boxes were stacked, the sounds of it echoing in the room. "You going to ask me why?"

"No," said Eren.

Adam continued anyway, "A first kiss isn't like all the rest that come afterward. It's one you're never going to forget. A first kiss - it does things to you."

"...like what?" Jean asked, trying and failing not to sound interested.

Mikasa was finally able to spot Eren between the cracks. She could hardly see anything through the slit of light, but she could make out part of Eren's back facing her. He had his head hung slightly, looking over his shoulder at Adam. It was barely there, but there was a small flicker of curiosity in those green eyes of his.

Gripping the box in front of her, she lowered her breathing so she wouldn't miss a word.

"I don't know how to describe it. It's almost like first love. A girl stole stole my first kiss from me. I didn't even like her that much, but then I did. All because of that kiss."

"She stole it from you?" Jean asked.

"Yeah. Took me by surprise. I didn't even think she was that cute, but that kiss messed with my mind and I couldn't get her out of my head after that. I found out she did it as some sort of joke, but even then I started liking her. I eventually asked her out, and we ended up dating for a year."

"Was she your first love? Not that I really care. Just curious."

"Nah, that was the girl after her, but she's the reason I'm addicted to brown hair. The little blue-eyed brunette that stole my first kiss~"

Eren was completely facing away from her by that point and Mikasa strained her eyes to pick up any sort of reaction to what Adam was saying. She didn't realize how focused and tense she was until Jean walked past her line of sight and distracted her.

"Eren, your face is red."

Blinking, Mikasa adjusted herself to try and spot Eren again to see if it was true. After an accusation like that, most people would stutter the way Jean had done plenty of times already, but Eren's voice was sharp when he said, "Go to hell."

"Geez, fine, but I gotta take you with me. Captain Levi said I have to stick with you today, remember? If that much makes you blush, just wait until I tell you what I did with that girl after six months of dating!"

A few more lines of banter and goading were exchanged between all of them as her and Sasha continued to peep on their conversation. Adam spoke of a few unwanted perverse stories about his 'escapades' that made even Sasha's cheeks redden a little. Mikasa tuned much of it out, though, too busy trying to find Eren again.

"We're missing a box," said Jean.

"Which one?" Eren asked.

"The one on the inventory for this room. We have all but one."

"It must still be in the other room with Armin and the others."

"I'll go get it."

Mikasa didn't quite catch on to what that statement meant for her and Sasha at first. She barely had time to see Sasha's eyes widen at the approaching footsteps, and hardly a second to realize what was gong on when Sasha suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room.

Mikasa was still holding onto her crutches, and Sasha must have forgotten she needed to use them. By the time they were out in the hall Mikasa was biting her lip hard from being forced to put weight on her sprained ankle from their escape.

She sent a small glare at Sasha and the other girl let go of her arm, suddenly looking horrified. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" she whispered loudly, "I forgot about your ankle! I'm so sorry!"

"What the? I found it. I must of set it down by the door for some reason," said Jean.

"That takes care of this room," said Eren, "I'm going to get another list."

A few seconds later, she heard him walking towards them, but between Sasha's frantic apologizing and her injured foot, she didn't have a hope of getting away again. He interrupted Sasha as he walked out the door, and froze when he locked eyes with Mikasa.

Instead of saying 'hello' or any other normal form of aknowledgement, he just stood there silently. Just as she expected, he looked away from her as if she weren't standing there at all. "What are you guys doing?" he asked, turning to Sasha.

"Eh, nothing! Just inventorying!"

He looked down at the white papers Mikasa was still holding, the ones Armin gave her, and immediately reached out and took them from her. He didn't even ask, and the completely brash movement irked her. She frowned at him as he looked them over. "Those are mine," she said.

"We can take care of this. You guys can go."

"I'm supposed to do those," she pressed.

"We were put in charge of doing this hall. You shouldn't be moving anyway."

"Give them back."

Even though there was a threatening undertone in her voice, Eren didn't seem bothered by it and continued with his dismissive tone.

"No. You're hurt. Jean and I can do the rest."

" _I_ want to do them."

 _'Look at me,'_ she mentally hissed.

"I said we can do it."

And just like that, without another acknowledgement in her direction, he turned his back and disappeared into the room. Dismissed again. Treated like she was barely in front of him at all again. Mikasa was quickly approaching the point of 'completely fed up' and stared icy daggers at the open door frame.

* * *

It was about an hour until sunset and the sky was turning orange. As Mikasa stepped into the stables, she noticed the way the evening light reached through the doors to cast a warm hue on everything around her. I made all the horses look like they had a tint of red in their coats.

She didn't come out there very often unless she had to. Spending time with animals was not something she ever really found relief in, but today the large barn was the only place she could find solitude in.

The knot of frustration building in her chest, the one that appeared the moment Eren turned his back on her after stealing her lists, started to slowly unwind now that she was alone. Mikasa wondered if she might have to come out here more often if things didn't change soon.

When her horse spotted her, he lifted his head to greet her. Mikasa was surprised to see him munching on a mouthful of hay.

She walked up to the stallion and looked inside the stall to find it completely clean, buckets filled to the brim with water and food, and he even had a smooth, clean coat with markings indicating someone had already brushed him.

It was the same as the last two nights. She came out there to take care of her horse, only to find that someone else already had.

In Mikasa's distraction, a mouthful of hay was shoved in her face. She pushed the horse's head away and made a mental note to ask someone how train him to stop that behavior. He often nuzzled her out of affection, but she didn't appreciate his spit all over her.

"Hey there."

Mikasa looked over her shoulder to see Adam walk up to her with a bucket in hand and a smile on his face.

"Hi."

"You here for evening chores?"

"I was, but it looks like they've already been done."

Adam stepped closer and looked into the clean stall. "Yep. Nothing left for you to do. It would be a crime to make you do this stuff with a foot injury."

When he winked at her, she looked away and hesitated. "Are you the one that's been taking care of him?"

"Not me. That would be Eren coming out to do it. You guys are friends, right?"

"Yes..." she trailed off as she rubbed her horse's neck.

Eren was doing all of this without telling her? With her current mood, she was about to chalk it up to another instance of his 'forced helpfulness' he kept shoving her way, but she felt something other than frustration at that moment.

It was surprising, considering she went out there in the first place to escape the bad mood he put her in. Yet, this gesture did not make her frown deeper.

It was very...kind of him.

"Adam, we're done out here-"

Eren stopped both walking and talking when he saw Mikasa. All in a second, her hopes of unwinding out in the stables came crashing down. This time, she took the initiative and was the one who looked away first.

Next to her, Adam stretched and yawned. "Finally. I'm going inside to eat before all the food disappears. You're officially off the hook."

Eren nodded as the other walked away. He didn't follow him and, instead, stepped a little closer, putting his hand just above her horse's nose.

"You're not going in with him?" she asked.

"No, not yet."

"Do you have more stuff to do?"

"Not for tonight."

"Then why are you staying?"

"Because I want to." He shot her something between a confused frown and a glare. "Do you want me to leave?"

Suddenly, 'yes' didn't sound like the answer she thought she wanted to give. The whole point of going out to the stables was to avoid more of his dismissive attitude she was growing tired of. Why was it now, off all times, that he didn't turn away at the sight of her? Was he finally coming out of this strange mood?

"No."

He hesitated, probably out of suspicion, before his tone softened. "I know everyone else is eating dinner, but I thought I'd take a break since I haven't all day. Why aren't you inside? You don't usually spend time out here."

"I came out here to check on things."

"Everything's taken care of. There's not much you can do with a sprained ankle anyway."

Mikasa tried not to let that remark provoke her. She was tired of hearing it, especially from him. "Did they tell you to do this?" she asked as she gestured to the stall.

"No, I volunteered."

"Oh...why?"

"I wanted to help. You would do the same for me if I was the one hurt."

She blinked a few times and then turned her gaze downward.

"I would," she admitted lightly. "Thank you for taking care of him."

He nodded in response and stepped closer to her. Mikasa leaned back a little in surprise when he stopped right next to her by the stall door. He didn't seem bothered that he was bordering on her personal space, and kept his attention on the stallion as he ran his hand through its mane.

Both of them were quiet for a long minute. The entire time, Mikasa discretely watched him as he gave her horse attention he was happy to receive. Eventually, her eyes fixed on his elbow. With every movement of his other hand, it would occasionally brush against her arm. She couldn't decide if it made her uncomfortable or not.

"I haven't been able to ride him yet. He'll probably be a little out of shape by the time your ankle is back to normal."

"It's fine. I'll take care of it when I can walk around again."

His green eyes now watched her curiously, and when she looked up to meet them, he didn't immediately turn away. In fact, seconds passed and he didn't seem to care when it crossed the border of blantantly staring.

Did he want to ask her something? Was he mad? Was there something on her face? Why was he watching her like that?

"We should go in and eat," she said in an attempt to make him do something other than stand there.

"Okay, let's go."

Looking away awkwardly, she reached over and grabbed her crutches she leaned against the stall, but her hand froze midair when she felt something touch her.

"You have hay in your hair," Eren said as he tugged at a few strands.

Mikasa didn't mind it, and it was a gesture she would have thought nothing of. That is, until his hand lingered a little longer than expected. She felt him grip onto the piece of straw that was no doubt put there when her horse tried to show her his 'love', but she could also faintly feel him wrap his finger around a larger lock.

He slowly ran his hand down it and a sudden shiver ran up Mikasa's back. Swallowing to try and curb it, she finished grabbing her crutches, then hesitantly looked back at him. He inspected the piece of straw in his fingers very intently before letting it drop to the ground.

"Hm," he mumbled.

While slowly rubbing his fingers that were just in her hair together, he turned toward the stable doors. When he stepped just outside of them, the sunset light sent streaks across his back and his face when he looked back at her expectantly. "Are you coming?" he asked.

Suddenly realizing she was just standing there with widened eyes, Mikasa adjusted her crutches beneath her. She tried to control her quickened heartbeats as she slowly stepped forward. "Yes."

* * *

A/N: Okay, hard chapter is officially over. What did you think?


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